Canada hoping Dome-field advantage will put them through to Gold Cup

Derek Cornelius has been used to getting on a plane — usually multiple planes — to fly from Serbia to camp with the Canadian national soccer team.

This week, he can just take a cab.

“The other camps I was travelling more than a day to get into camp, and this time it’s just down the street,” said the 6-foot-1 centre-back, who joined the Vancouver Whitecaps from Serbian side Javor-Matis before the season.

He and three other Caps have been called up to the national team for Canada’s CONCACAF Nations League qualifying game against French Guiana at B.C. Place on March 24.

“It’s nice playing at home, and knowing the stadium we’re going to be in,” said Cornelius, who, it should be noted, has only played once in the Dome.

On the line two weeks from now is a spot in the Nations League top tier and guaranteed berth in the 2019 Gold Cup. Canada’s 23-man roster is full of some ballyhooed offensive talent, but Cornelius is part of a defensive corps that didn’t surrender a single goal in 2018, as Canada outscored its opponents 14-0.

“Last year, we didn’t concede a goal. So I think we have a pretty solid back line,” said Cornelius, whose defence with the U20 team in Toulon in 2017 saw Canada concede just once in three games.

“That’s a part of our team that I think is a strength as well. We don’t want to have just a good offensive team, or a good defensive team; we want a good complete team. We want to be solid all around.”

There is a scattering of vets, like Scott Arfield, Will Johnson and the ageless Atiba Hutchinson, but there are also seven players 21 or younger, including Ballou Tabla, Liam Millar, Jonathan David and Alphonso Davies.

The 18-year-old Davies returns to B.C. Place for the first time since his record-setting $22 million US transfer to Bayern Munich from the Whitecaps in November.

“(Vancouver) is the place that really launched his career,” said Canada coach John Herdman. “I know he’s really looking forward to getting back there, to being in what he probably sees as his soccer hometown and showing people what he’s developed, how he’s learned, how he’s evolved and adapted.

“I think for him it will be nothing but excitement. It’s like a thoroughbred (champing) at the bit to get on the racetrack and run.”

Canada, which hasn’t conceded a goal since October 2017, is ranked 79th in the world and are 4-0 since Herdman took over last January. He’s injected a much more aggressive style into the team, one that has been buoyed by the inclusion of some rising talents like Davies, Tabla, David and Millar, all of whom play in Europe.

“(Herdman) is really (focused) on the details, in all the small things, doing all the details correctly,” said Cornelius. “He’s making sure that guys are staying on task, and when we’re not together, we’re having video sessions, we have our identity, the style we want to play. He’s really a guy who pays attention to the small things … that will eventually show on the field.”

Having that offensive talent that Davies and Co. bring is paramount for Canada’s Nations League campaign, where goal differential is the only thing separating third from fifth place in the standings. Canada is tied for third with Cuba (+14), behind only Haiti (+16) and Curacao (+21). French Guiana is 11th with a 2-1 record and +5 goal differential. The top 10 teams qualify for the Gold Cup (June 15-July 7).

“Let’s get together, win it, and move on to the Gold Cup,” said Crépeau. “We’re going (to B.C. Place) to win, but to enjoy it as well, because international call-ups are the ones you really have to enjoy.”

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